Method of recording and reproducing sample data to/from a recording medium and sample data containing recording medium

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of recording and reproducing sample data to/from a recording medium and a sample data containing recording medium. According to the present invention, contents are recorded on a recording medium with additional sample data which is a part of the contents. And, when the contents of the recording medium are requested to be reproduced, the sample data or all the contents are reproduced based on whether a reproduction approval key is received or not. Owing to the present invention, a user can confirm easily, without purchasing a corresponding reproduction approval key, whether a recording medium such as a DVD-ROM and a DVD-RAM has contents he or she wants.

1. A method of reproducing data from a recording medium, the method comprising:
 (a) checking whether there is play-authorizing information stored on the recording medium or in a device, the play-authorizing information allowing entire playback of recorded data, and the recorded data being reproduced only in accordance with the play-authorizing information; 
 (b) reading location information pointing to a data section, which is a part of the recorded data, if there is no play-authorizing information and if an indication information specifies a presence of the location information, the data section being designated sample data for the recorded data and being reproducible without the play-authorizing information; and 
 (c) reproducing the data section using the read location information, without the play-authorizing information. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein reading the location information of the data section occurs from management information for managing the recorded data. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recorded data is copy-protected data. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location information is specified only if the data section is present. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the play-authoring information is purchasable from a provider. 
   
   
     6. A method of reproducing data, comprising:
 (a) determining if play-authorizing information is present on a storage medium or in a device, if a position where sample data for content is present is specified based on an indication information, wherein the play-authorizing information is to authorize a playback of a stored content, and if the sample data being a part of the content is reproducible without the play-authorizing information; and 
 (b) reproducing the content in accordance with the play-authorizing information if the play-authorizing information is present, or reproducing the sample data using a location information for indicating the position if the position of the sample data is specified. 
 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step (b) further comprises:
 not permitting playback of the content if the play-authorizing information is not present. 
 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 6 , step (b) reproduces
 the sample data in the position identified by the location information without the play-authorizing information if the play-authorizing information is not present and if it is determined that the position of sample data is specified as a result of step (a). 
 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the location information is specified only if the indication information specifies the position of the sample data. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the location information comprises a start position of the sample data. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the location information further comprises an end position of the sample data. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the location information further comprises a duration of the sample data. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the play-authoring information is key information for decrypting the content, and the play-authorizing information is obtainable from a provider. 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining step (a) determines if the position where the sample data for the content is present is specified, in case that the play-authorizing information is not present on the storage medium or in the device. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step (b) reproduces the sample data only if it is determined that the position of the sample data is specified.